TRIPOLI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th April, 2019) The Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar established control over a large part of the Ain Zara region southeast of the Libyan capital of Tripoli, a military source in the ninth LNA brigade in Tripoli told Sputnik on Tuesday.
"The forces of the Libyan National Army under the general command of Khalifa Haftar established control over large parts of the Ain Zara area in Tripoli," the source said.
The army took control of two military camps in the area, he added.
This area is of strategic importance because of its proximity to the entry to the Libyan capital, the source stressed.
The source also added that the clashes in the Qaser Bin Ghashir area southwest of Tripoli continued.
Libya has been suffering from unrest since 2011, when its long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed. The country is divided between two rival governments, with an elected parliament governing the country's east and the UN- and EU-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) ruling the west from Tripoli.
The situation escalated last week, when the LNA, backed by the eastern government, announced on Thursday an offensive against Tripoli in a bid to oust what Haftar called terrorist forces from the city. In response, armed forces loyal to the GNA started a military operation against the LNA on Sunday.
